France on Monday said that it was "surprised" and worried by Teheran's announcement to resume sensible uranium conversion work.

"We are surprised and worried by the announcement of a unilateral resumption by Iran of sensitive activities concerning the conversion of uranium, which was suspended, with other activities linked to the production of fissile material," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Cecile Pozzo di Borgo told an electronic news briefing.

According to an Iranian negotiator in Teheran, Iran on Monday handed a letter to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to notify the UN watchdog of its imminent resumption of uranium ore conversion -- the precursor to enrichment.

Iran agreed in November during negotiations with the European trio -- Britain, France and Germany -- to suspend uranium enrichment, a process that makes fuel for civilian nuclear power plants but can also be used for the explosive core of atom bombs.

Iran warned on Sunday that it would resume conversion work if the EU failed by Monday to come up with a comprehensive proposal, including a package of trade and security incentives, as promised by the bloc in the last round of nuclear negotiations late May.

Iran has urged the EU to secure its right to continue uranium enrichment in the proposal, but the EU apparently attempts to talk Iran out of its work to build nuclear fuel cycle and to delay the deadline until August 7.

Source: Xinhua